Arlington or Montgomery County? [VA/MD]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Montgomery county.
Virginia has Richmond, the capitol of the confederacy.

LOL. Go spend some time in rural Maryland. It's indistinguishable from rural Virginia. Heck, there are probably more confederate flags in the Maryland countryside than Virginia.

But there were more trump signs in urban Virginia (McLean) than urban Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP VA has Youngkin you do not want Virginia.

This PP is making the excellent point that you are hitching yourself to a broader state and should think about that, too. Do you want to be tethered, albeit at a distance, to Baltimore or Richmond? MD state laws apply even to the princes and princesses in Bethesda.

—— signed, MD resident living outside the beltway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really have to caution you on MCPS and it’s alleged reputation as good. This is maybe from the 1990s - and they have been COASTING for at least the past decade plus. Know nothing about Arlington. Gosh, can you ask for transfer to another region? Just wouldn’t come here - and schools are main reason. Now if you can swing private maybe… and then either Arlington or Moco work. Arlington would win because no need for a car. Walkable. But parts of Bethesda are like that too - in fairness.

Agree. MCPS has gone downhill - especially after keeping schools closed longer than almost anywhere else in the country despite relatively lower Covid levels and high vaccination rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:22-year resident of DC here. We are considering a move to the close-suburbs and are looking at these two areas as well. Bethesda has some beautiful homes and areas (Kenwood especially). Bethesda center is nice and very tidy. I just can't get excited about it. I prefer Arlington and its neighborhood areas, which seem to have a bit more personality. But maybe that's unfair since I don't know MoCo so well. What I was surprised about, though, is the uncertainty of the schools in Arlington. There's so much movement and reorganization and people seem deeply unhappy with ACPS on this forum so it's given me some pause (we are at the elementary level in DCPS right now and quite happy with our school so not in a rush to move). I absolutely love Takoma Park, MD, and agree that someone from the Bay area might find a lot to love about it. It's the DC area at its crunchiest/funkiest!

I’ve live in TPK for 20 years. I love it! I have to say, though, that the crunchiness factor has gone down over the years. The aging hippies are dying or moving out, and housing prices are now relatively high compared to areas further out. New families tend to be fairly well off. It’s still solidly left, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really have to caution you on MCPS and it’s alleged reputation as good. This is maybe from the 1990s - and they have been COASTING for at least the past decade plus. Know nothing about Arlington. Gosh, can you ask for transfer to another region? Just wouldn’t come here - and schools are main reason. Now if you can swing private maybe… and then either Arlington or Moco work. Arlington would win because no need for a car. Walkable. But parts of Bethesda are like that too - in fairness.

Agree. MCPS has gone downhill - especially after keeping schools closed longer than almost anywhere else in the country despite relatively lower Covid levels and high vaccination rates.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1085472.page

Top ES are in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP VA has Youngkin you do not want Virginia.

This PP is making the excellent point that you are hitching yourself to a broader state and should think about that, too. Do you want to be tethered, albeit at a distance, to Baltimore or Richmond? MD state laws apply even to the princes and princesses in Bethesda.

—— signed, MD resident living outside the beltway

Er, you mean Annapolis, right?

[Anonymous]

We did this move from San Carlos to North Arlington last year to be near family. DH's mom is in Bethesda. Bethesda/North Arlington aren't all that different tbh. We send our kids to private school in DC if that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP VA has Youngkin you do not want Virginia.

This PP is making the excellent point that you are hitching yourself to a broader state and should think about that, too. Do you want to be tethered, albeit at a distance, to Baltimore or Richmond? MD state laws apply even to the princes and princesses in Bethesda.

—— signed, MD resident living outside the beltway

Baltimore?

Our public school system has failed you...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither. I'd pick neither!

It's like choosing between the lesser of evils - better high schools (MoCo) versus better in-state colleges (Arlington).

Instead, I'd rather live in McLean, Falls Church (22046), or Vienna (near Old Courthouse Rd to avoid 123). Then you get good schools + in-state colleges, with a decent commute.



Signed,

A MoCo native in NOVA.

Decent commute if you’re leaving at 5AM.

I like all those areas but if you have to commute into dc it’s not going to be pretty.

This is patently false. I commuted from Falls Church/Mclean area. Was about 45 to 1 hour in morning, leaving at 7:15am. About 30-45 in afternoon. If you leave later into deep rush hour, could be an hour. Vienna could add 20+ minutes, depending what part.

Decent commute = 30 minutes or less.

[Anonymous]

My wife works in Chinatown and we live in Sumner (Bethedsa). Great neighborhood and you could get a great house for $2M with a nice yard but not too much space. Westmoreland Hills would be very nice too. Both are right off Mass Ave.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

[Anonymous]

They're the same place in different states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.